Toyota takes covers off new Land Cruiser

Toyota has lifted the lid on the new Land Cruiser, a model it says will be more refined on-road, as well as more capable off-road, than its predecessor.

Due to go on sale in the UK from December 1, the new car will be available as both a five- and seven-seater, but with only a 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine that comes exclusively with a five-speed automatic transmission.

Its 34.9mpg average economy goes hand-in-hand with carbon dioxide emissions of 214g/km – both figures are improvements of around 5% on the current model’s figures.

Five- and seven-seat modelsThe new Land Cruiser will come only as a five-door model in the UK – the three-door model sold in other parts of Europe will not go on sale here.

Three trims will be available: the basic LC3 model has five seats (and the option of seven), while the LC4 and LC5 get seven seats as standard. The two seats in the third row fold flat into the floor independently when not in use to improve boot space.

Better ride, more feelThe suspension has been revised to give more comfort and better steering feel on-road.

LC5 versions also come with Adaptive Variable Suspension, which lets the driver adjust the suspension between three damper settings. There's also an electronically controlled rear suspension that gives a self-levelling function and height control.

To improve the car’s off-road ability, LC5 models also come with Multi-terrain Select – which automatically adjusts the engine and brakes to suit the surface.

Plenty of equipmentEquipment levels are higher than on the current car – standard features on all models include seven airbags, stability control, alloy wheels, climate control and Bluetooth connectivity.

LC5 models, meanwhile, add a rear-seat entertainment system as well as the full adaptive suspension system and off-road aids. These cars also get a clever parking aid system with four cameras that show images from around the car to help the driver manoeuvre.